STAC Women's Tennis Bests Slippery Rock, 4-3, to Close Spring Break Trip

Posted: Mar 17, 2023

Orlando, Fla. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Tennis team closed out its 2023 Spring Break road trip with a 4-3 victory over Slippery Rock University on Friday morning at the USTA National Campus.

STAC improves to 12-2 on the year, while Slippery Rock falls to 4-4.

The maroon and gold opened the day by winning its first doubles match with Paula Palero and Amaia Balaguer Brau shutting out Dari Sakhanova and Tina Slovak, 6-0. However, Slippery Rock would take the final two pairs contests via wins by the duos of Gabriela del Val del Toro and Nuria Martin Lopez and Adriana Gonzalez Sanchez and Teddi Isherwood over Elita Silins and Jemima Parkinson (6-3) and Ebba Rosberg and Samanta Villegas Robles (6-3), respectively to take a 1-0 team lead.

When the squads got singles action underway, it would be Slippery Rock who would extend their lead to 2-0 on the strength of a 6-1, 6-1 triumph by Gabriela del Val del Toro over Viktoriia Pavlovets. Then Amaia Balaguer Brau broke the Spartans shutout with a 6-2, 6-1 victory against Teddi Isherwood. Samanta Villegas Robles tied things at 2-2 with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Nuria Martin Lopez, before Elita Silins put the maroon and gold ahead via a 6-1, 7-5 victory versus Georgie Lancaster. STAC closed out its road trip with a victory when Paula Palero took a straight sets victory against Dari Sakhanova, 6-3, 6-4.

Paula Palero and Amaia Balaguer Brau went 2-0 on the day with both doubles and singles victories over The Rock.

STAC 4/SLIPPERY ROCK 3 - OFFICIAL RESULTS

DOUBLES
1. Adriana Gonzalez Sanchez & Teddi Isherwood (SR) def. Ebba Rosberg & Samanta Villegas Robles (STAC) 6-3

2. Gabriela del Val del Toro & Nuria Martin Lopez (SR) def. Elita Silins & Jemima Parkinson (STAC) 6-3

3. Paula Palero & Amaia Balaguer Brau (STAC) def. Dari Sakhanova & Tina Slovak (SR) 6-0

Order of finish: 3, 2, 1*

SINGLES
1. Adriana Gonzalez Sanchez (SR) def. Ebba Rosberg (STAC) 7-6 (4), 2-6, 1-0 (9)

2. Gabriela del Val del Toro (SR) def. Viktoriia Pavlovets (STAC) 6-1, 6-1

3. Paula Palero (STAC) def. Dari Sakhanova (SR) 6-3, 6-4

4. Samanta Villegas Robles (STAC) def. Nuria Martin Lopez (SR) 6-3, 6-2

5. Amaia Balaguer Brau (STAC) def. Teddi Isherwood (SR) 6-2, 6-1

6. Elita Silins (STAC) def. Georgie Lancaster (SR) 6-1, 7-5

Order of finish: 2, 5, 4, 6, 3*, 1

Slippery Rock Record: 4-4, 0-0 PSAC

STAC Record: 12-2, 5-0 ECC

THE ROCKHILL REPORT

"We showed our depth again today which led us to victory", stated Coach Dan Rockhill.

"We have fallen into a stale period in doubles and will need to tweak a few things when we get back to New York. This happens at times, but doubles has been a big strength for us in the past and I am sure we will figure it out and get back to taking doubles points in regional competition."

"I am really happy for the ladies as we battled all week in difficult conditions. This experience will surely help going forward."

"I am so thankful for coaches Tasaro and Tarangioli", remarked Rockhill. "As without them, this trip would not have been gone so well."

UP NEXT

STAC heads back to the Big Apple and after a week of practice, the Spartans will take on Adelphi University on Sunday, March 26 (11:00 a.m.) at the Riley Family Tennis Courts in Sparkill.